Cutlery device



Nov. 5, 1957 J. w. HUNT ETAL 2,811,776

CUTLERY DEVICE Original Filed June 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Maw IN VEN TORS.

Jorm Pl. Hu/v-r BY WILLIAM A. Hum

- A T7 ORNE 5 Nov. 5, 1957 Y J w. HUNT ETAL 2,811,776

CUTLERY DEVICE Original Filed June 12, 1953' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eliza-.5

INVENTORS.

JOHN W H um- BY WILLIAM A. HUNT Mlfhf 015m, [mi/Mai United States Patent CUTLERY DEVICE John W. Hunt and William A. Hunt, Pontiac, Mich.; said William A. Hunt assignor to said John W. Hunt Original application June 12, 1953, Serial No. 361,366. Divided and this application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 570,927

4 Claims. (Cl. 30-142) The present invention relates to a novel cutlery-device of the type wherein the blades and other instruments thereon are enclosed in a combination handle and housing and are adapted to be swung out of said housing into their operative positions.

More particularly the present invention relates to a pocket cutlery device which includes the conventional blades, screwdriver, awl, can opener, bottle opener, and the like and also includes therein a novel nail clipper.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 361,366 filed June 12, 1953, in our names, now Patent No. 2,771,674, issued November 27, 1956.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a pocket cutlery device which includes any de sired combination of a conventional blade or blades and tools and a novel clipper device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel pocket cutlery device including a nail clipper which may be pivoted within the housing of said device into its operative position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket cutlery device wherein a novel nail clipper is mounted within the housing of said device in such a manner as to provide room for the conventional blades, bottle opener, awl and the like usually included in said devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pocket cutlery device including a housing, a nail clipper mounted in said housing, an operating arm for said nail clipper, and recesses within said housing to receive said nail clipper and operating arm when folded into their inoperative positions within said housing so as to provide a pocket cutlery device having smooth surfaces with no projections therefrom to catch on the inside of a pocket or handbag when said device is carried therein.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the pocket cutlery device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the pocket cutlery device of Fig. 1 showing the clipper and operating arm therefor in operative position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the upper plate of the pocket cutlery device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a modified pin for the nail clipper of Figs. 4 and 5.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in 2,811,776 i atented Nov. 5, 1957 its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Fig. 2 of the drawing is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention wherein the pocket cutlery device 16 comprises the combination handle and housing 11 having the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13, said plates being assembled in spaced parallel relationship to receive the blades 14 and 15 and the nail file 16 therebetween and provide the recess 17 in one end of said housing to receive the nail clipper 18.

The blades 14 and 15 and file 16 are pivotally mounted within the housing 11 as at 19 so that they may be swung out of housing 11 into an operative position.

The operating arm 20 (Fig. 4) is provided for the nail clipper 18. V

Fig. 1 is a top view of the cutlery device 10 showing the external recess 21 in the top of upper plate 12 with the operating arm 20 in its inoperative position wherein it is received within recess 21.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the pocket cutlery device 10 showing the operating arm 20 in operative position and the nail clipper 13 pivoted so as to extend out of recess 17 in operative position. Clipper 18 may also be turned slightly less than so as to position the jaws thereof on the opposite side of the housing 11.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views taken along the lines 4-4 and 5 respectively of Fig. 3 and show the details of nail clipper 13.

As can be seen in Fig. 5, the nail clipper 18 has the upper jaw 23 and a lower jaw 24-. The flange 25' depends downwardly from the upper jaw 23 and the jaw 23 also has the cutting edge 26 formed on one end thereof. The opposite end of jaw 23 is rounded to conform to the end of housing 11 as can be more clearly seen in Fig. 3.

The lower jaw 24 is less in length than upper jaw 23 and slightly less in width so that the upwardly extending flange 2'7 on lower jaw 24 will fit within the downwardly extending flange 25 of upper jaw 23.

The hinge pin 29 passes through flange 25 and flange 27 to assemble lower jaw 24 and upper jaw 23. The spring member 30 is positioned between the upper and lower jaws to bias the same apart. The spring member 30 is positioned with its apex between hinge pin 29 and the end portion of flange 27 and its legs extending above and below hinge pin 29.

Referring now to Fig. 4 the details of the operation of clipper 18 can be seen. The U-shaped pin 31 extends through a circular hole in the upper jaw 23 and a corresponding hole in lower jaw 24. A retaining means such as the key 32 is provided on the ends of the legs of pin 31.

The pin 31 extends upwardly through the hole 34 in member 35 (member 35 is mounted on the under side of upper plate 12 and is more fully disclosed hereinafter), so as to position the apex of pin 31 within the recess 21.

The end of operating arm 20 is hinged within the apex of pin 31. Arm 211 is shown in its operative position in Fig. 4. The fulcrum 33 is provided adjacent the hinged end of arm 20. The washer 36 is positioned on pin 31 between member 35 and the end of arm 20. The washer 36 has the auxiliary cam 36a thereon to cooperate with the fulcrum 33 on arm 20.

It can thus be seen the pin 31, member 35, and arm 20 serve to pivotally mount the nail clipper 18 within recess 17. It should also be pointed out that pin 31 is free to rotate independently of the jaws of the nail clipper.

It is believed apparent that a downward force exerted placed between the cutting edges 26 and 28 (Fig. on.

said jaws.

In order to place arm into its inoperative position it is swung to the left (Fig. 4) over the top of pin 31 until it is essentially at a right angle thereto. It is then turned pivoting pin 31 also until it lies within recess 21 as shown in Fig. 1.

The clipper 18 is retained in its operative position as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 by the depression 37 (Fig. 4) in the lower plate 13. A similar depression (not shown) is provided at right angles to the said depression 37 so as to retain the clipper in its inoperative position (Figs. 1 and 2) fully enclosed within recess 17.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of upper plate 12 showing member mounted thereon by means of the rivets 38 or similar devices. The hole 34 is provided to communicate with recess 21 (Fig. 4) as explained hereinbefore.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified pin 31a which may be substituted in placed of the pin 31 (Fig. 4). The pin 31a is provided with the hairpin spring 39 on its lower end and the washer is positioned thereabove. Hairpin spring 39 and washer 40 would replace key 32 of Fig. 4.

From the above description it can be seen that we have provided a novel pocket cutlery device which includes the usual blades or tools and a novel nail clipper.

We have also provided a novel pocket cutlery device including a nail clipper wherein said nail clipper and the operating arm therefor are received within recesses provided in said cutlery device so as to provide a pocket cutlery device having smooth contours so that no projections are left to catch on a pocket or handbag when said device is carried therein.

In the above description where We have made reference to blades mounted in our pocket cutlery device, it is to be understood that we contemplate substituting therefor any other desired tool, such for example as screwdrivers, awls, bottle openers, and the like without departing from the spirit, scope and purpose of our invention.

Having thus described our invention we claim:

1. In a pocket cutlery device including a housing and a plurality of blades pivoted at one end of said housing, the provision of a recess in the opposite end of said housing,.said recess being open on two sides and toward the end of said housing, a second longitudinal recess in the top of said housing with one end thereof overlying said first-named recess, a hole communicating between said first and second recesses, a nail clipper comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, a spring between said jaws to bias them apart, a U-shaped pin extending through said jaws, said jaws being mounted within said first-named recess with the apex of said U-shaped pin extending upwardly through said communicating hole and into said second recess, a locking key on the end of the legs of said U-shaped pin and engaging the lower surface of said lower jaw, and an operating arm for said jaws, said arm having one end hinged within the apex of said U-shaped pin so as to swing over the top of said pin and lay in said second recess in the top of said housing the inoperative position of said arm.

2. A pocket cutlery device as claimed in claim 1 and further characterized in that said upper jaw of said clipper comprises a flat rectangular portion having a downwardly depending cutting edge on one end thereof, the opposite end of said flat portion being shaped to conform to the configuration of the end of said aforementioned housing, said flat portion also having downwardly depending flanges on its sides. and on the shaped. end thereof, said lower jaw of said clipper having a flat rectangular portion less in lengthand'slightly. less in width than said upper jaw, an upwardly depending cutting edge on one end. of. said. flat portion, said cutting edge. cooperating with the cutting edge on said upper jaw, and upwardly depending flanges on the remaining edges of said flat portion, said upwardly depending flanges on the sides of said lower jaw fitting within the downwardly depending flanges on the sides of said upper jaw, a hinge pin passing through the side flanges of said upper and lower jaws adjacent the flanged end of said lower jaw, a V-shaped biasing spring positioned between said upper and lower jaws in the assembled position thereof, the apex of said V-shaped spring being positioned between the hinge pin and the flanged end of said lower jaw with the legsof said spring extending above and below said hinge pin and bearing on the lower face of said upper jaw and the upper face of said lower jaw to bias the cutting edges of said. jaws apart, said assembled jaws being pivotally mounted to swing the cutting edges thereof selectively out either side of the recess in the end of said housing in operative position or into the said recess with the cutting edges adjacent the closed end of said recess with the shaped end of said upper jaw flush with the open end of said recess, and spring detent means depending downwardly from said lower jaw to engage said housing and lock said jaws in any of the above mentioned pivotal positions.

3. In a pocket cutlery device including a housing, and a plurality of blades pivoted at one end of said housing, the provision of a recess in the opposite end of said housing, said recess being open on two sides and toward the end of said housing, a second longitudinal recess in the top of said housing with one end thereof overlying. said first-named recess, a hole communicating between said first and second recesses, a nail clipper comprising an wardly through said communicating hole and into said.

second recess, a locking key on the end of the legs of said U-shaped pin and engaging the lower surface of said lower jaw, and an operating arm for said jaws, said arm having one end hinged within the apex of said U-shaped pin so as to swing over the top of said pin and lay in said second recess in the top of said housing in the inoperative position of said arm, said operating arm having a fulcrum adjacent the end thereof, and a washer positioned around said U-shaped pin beneath said operating arm said washer having an upwardly depending projection thereon to cooperate with said fulcrum on said operating arm when said arm is in its operative position.

4. In a pocket cutlery device including a housing, and a plurality of blades pivoted at one end of said housing, the provision of a recess in the opposite end of said housing, said recess being open on two sides and towardthe end of said housing, a second longitudinal recess in the top of said housing with one end thereof overlying said first-named recess, a hole communicating between said first and second recesses, a nail clipper comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, a spring between. said jaws to bias them apart, a U-shaped pin extending through said jaws, said jaws being mounted within said first-named recess with the apex of said U-shaped pin extending upwardly through said communicating hole and into said, second recess, a hairpin spring on the end of the legs of said -U-shaped pin and a washer positioned between said.

hairpin spring and the lower surface of said lower jaw, and an operating arm for said jaws, said arm'having one end hinged within the apex of said U-shaped pin so as to swing over the top of said pin and lay in said second recess in the top of said housing in the inoperative position of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4,398 Hunt Mar. 22, 1955 

